Tips on Preventing a Stroke

You've been told this before -- exercise is good for you. But perhaps the whole idea is still sort of an abstract thing. Exercise might give you more energy, and it might keep your joints from becoming stiff, and it might improve your mood and lower your weight.

But what if there were a concrete idea to keep in the back of your mind when trying to motivate yourself to be physically active? Well -- consider this new study. According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, people who have exercised regularly in the years before a stroke may be harmed less by the attack than sedentary types.

And, apparently, we're not even talking about high-intensity activity. All you need to do is exercise three times a week for half an hour and you could protect yourself from some of the devastating effects of a stroke.

Researchers looked at 673 people in the Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study. They found that those who exercised three times a week or more did better on two different scales measuring the impact of a first stroke.

One of the two scales used was a well-established measure of ability to perform 20 daily activities called the Barthel Index. The Barthel Index measures such things as the ability to dress and bathe.

Study participants were also measured on the Oxford Handicap Scale, which takes into consideration such things as whether someone has difficulty comprehending speech, and whether someone couldn't return to work or couldn't enjoy reading.

A total of 50.5% of the participants who reported having had regular exercise one to three times a week before their strokes, appeared to function better than those who had not exercised.

The 21% who reported aerobic physical activity four or more times a week appeared to do even better when it came to recovery and symptoms.

The research team concluded that, if you are physically fit, you can compensate better for the negative effects caused by a stroke, because you have more reserve, or strength, in your body.

There has also been strong evidence from past studies that exercise leads to a decreased risk of having a stroke to begin with.

And what about exercise after a stroke? The answer is still the same: it seems that physical activity helps your body regain its functioning and strength. Being physically active also helps reduce the risk of a second stroke. And perhaps that's the most important benefit of all -- the best way to treat a stroke is not to have one in the first place.

Source:
Meschia, et al., "Prestroke Physical Activity and Early Functional Status After Stroke," J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, 2009 July 14.

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